Reflector button



Oct. 12, 1937. P. KucERA 2,095,932

' REFLECTOR BUTTON Filed Feb. '7, 1935 Patented Oct. 12, 1937 PATENT OFFICE REFLECTOR BUTTON Peter K'ucera, Allison Park,'Pa., assgnor to The Phoenix Glass Company, Monaca, Pa., a corporation of West Virginia Application February 7, 1935, serial No. 5,330

` 6 Claims.

Myinvention relates to reectors for road signs, advertising signs, etc.

The invention comprises the use of reflector prisms or buttons which are coated on their rear surfaces with reecting material, and are arranged in suitable patterns, on sign boards, or other supporting members.

One object of vmy invention is to .provide a reiiector button of generally simplified and improved form. I

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved manner of mounting reflector but# tons, so that they can be readily removed for replacement, or topermit painting of the board or other support upon which the buttons are mounted.

Some of the forms which my invention may take are shown in the accompanying drawing wherein Figure 1 is a face view of the sign; Fig. 2 is an edge view thereof; Fig. 3 is a sectional view, on an enlarged scale, of a portion of the structure of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a rear view of the structure of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 shows a modified form of retaining clip; Figr is a view showing a reflector button of another form, and Fig. '7 shows a further modication thereof. l

In the present instance, the buttons are shown as mounted on a sign board 8, that may conveniently be of sheet metal or other suitable material. .The board is perforated along desired lines to receive the buttons, which can be arranged in such formation as to conform to the lettering desired.

The buttons 9 are formed of glass or other transparent material and have enlarged rounded heads or faces. 'I'he shank portions of the buttons are of reduced diameter, and .have annular grooves IU which are spaced from the button heads a slight distance, so that when the buttons arepositioned in the sign board as shown in Fig. 3, clamping rings II of spring wire or other suitable material can be placed in the grooves I0, and will retain the button heads in snug engagement with the sign board.

The rings II can be readily sprung apart to disengage them from the buttons, and to permit withdrawal of the buttons. This feature of convenient detachability is of considerable utility, in 50 that the buttons can be readily removed to permit of painting the sign board, and also to permit of replacement nwith other buttons.

-The buttons are provided with a `reiiecting coating I2 which is preferably in `the form of 55 sprayed molten metal that adheres to or becomes (ol. :ss-,82)

fused with the glass. The metal is preferably of a light color such as aluminum.

The buttons can conveniently be coated by setting their heads into conicalor hemispherical depressions in a suitable holder and coating the 5 exposed portions thereof, including thesides and the rear end of the shank 9, as well as the rear flat surface of the head. They are coated with molten metal from a suitable spraygun.

It will, of course, be apparent that the buttons will reflect light rays from headlamps or other sources of light, and be thereby given high visi` bility. v 1

Referring to Fig. 5, the button and sign board arrangement may be substantially as shownin Figs. 1 to 3, but in this instance, instead of employing the s plit ring clips II, 'I employ a clip I3 of staple-like or U form that can be pushed into position to partly embrace .the buttons along their circumferential grooves I0. The legs of the 20 clip are curved somewhat intermediate their ends so as to have adequate length of contact with the groove.

Referring to Fig. 6, I show a button I 5 which is of somewhat the same general type as the other 25 buttons, but wherein no groove is required for the retaining'ring or clip I6. In this case, the metal coating II is deposited to such thickness along a circumferential line adjacent to the head of the button as` to itself forma shoulder against which the retaining ring I6 may abut, to.hold the button in place.

Fig. 7 shows a structure wherein the metal coating I8 is deposited to such thickness as will permit the cutting of threads thereon. These 35 threads in effect provide a shoulder portion for receiving a threaded mount element 20. In this structure, a nut 20 and a washer 2l a're employed, the nut serving as a clamping member for securing the button to the sign board 22. i

From the above explanation, it will thus be apparent that I have provided shoulder portions in the embodiments of my inventionillustrated in Figures 3 to 6, inclusive, which receive and position an interlock or mount clip I I, I3, or I6. The same principle is employed in connection with the embodiment of Figure 7 since the threads in effect provide interlock shoulder portions which receive the nut or threaded mount member 20.

Instead of applying a reiiective coating to the buttons, they could vbe made of prismatic form and of colored glass, so that they would give an appreciable degree of reflection which would be suicient in many cases.

The buttons will be formed by casting or pressing them in suitable molds, while the glass is in a plastic state. 'Ihey will be removed from the molds as soon as their surfaces have become sufciently solidified to retain. their shape. It is preferable that the metal be sprayed upon the buttons while they are still hot from the mold, and While their interiors are perhaps still so hot as to be soft.

The buttons Will therefore have a considerable quantity of stored heat which will maintain their surfaces at high temperatures, so that when the molten metal is sprayed on, there Will be an adherent union effected between the metal coating andthe glass. If the buttons Were too` cold, there would not be so good fusing of the metal with the glass, and the particles of metal and glass could not adjust themselves to one another during cooling of the coated article. Ruptures and peeling of the metal are therefore not so likely to occur as if the metal Were sprayed on a cold glass surface, or a glass article that did not have sufficient stored heat.

While I have described my invention in view of certain illustrative embodiments, it will be apparent that many changes, substitutions, additions, omissions or combinations thereof may be made Without departing from the spirit and scope thereof as indicated in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:-

1. In combination with a support, a reflector button having head and shank portions, the shank portion of said button extending through the support, a metallic reflecting coating on the shank portion of said button of sufficient thickness at certain points to form a shoulder, and a removable clip engaging the shoulder and the support for detachably holding the button in place.

2. In combination with a support, a reflector button having head and shank portions, the shank portion of said button extending through the support, a metallic coating on the shank portion of said button, said coating being lightreflecting when viewed throughv the head portion of said button, threads formed in a portion of said coating, and mounting means detachably engaging the threads and cooperating with the support for holding the button in place on the support.

3. In combination with a support, a reflector button having head and shank portions, the shank portion of said button extending through the support, a metallic reflective coating on the shank portion of said button of sufficient thickness at certain points to form a shoulder portion, and means engaging the shoulder portion and cooperating with the support for holding said button in place on the support.

4. In combination with a Support, a reflector button having headl and shank portions, the shank portion of said button extending through the support, said reflector button being of glass, an aluminum coating on the shank portion of said button of sufficient thickness at certain points to form an interlock portion, said coating being light-ref.3cting when viewed through the head portion of said button, and fastening means engaging said interlock portion and cooperating with the support for holding said button in place on the support. y

5. In combination with a Support, a reflector button having head and shank portions, the shank portion of said button extending through the support, a metallic coating on the shank portion of said button of suflicient thickness at cer- .tain points to form a shoulder portion, and means engaging the shoulder portion and cooperating with the support for holding said button in place on the support.

6. In combination with a support, a reector button having head and shank portions, the shank portion of said button extending through the support, an aluminum reflective coating on the shank portion of said button of suilcient thickness at certain points to form a shoulder `portion, means engaging the shoulder portion and cooperating with the support for holding said button in place on the support.

PETER KUCERA. 

